CommuniVax is a national coalition of social scientists, public health experts, and community advocates who seek lasting solutions to a serious problem. In the United States, historically underserved Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Indigenous populations have endured disproportionate impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. And, while these communities would benefit greatly from safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, they face longstanding biases and barriers that often limit their access to and acceptance of vaccination.
The Alabama site PI, Dr. Stephanie McClure, and her collaborators including Department of Anthropology members Dr. Kathy Oths and graduate students Emi Smith and Olivia Radcliffe were recently featured in a CommuniVax video discussing their work through the University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, the fifth largest city in Alabama, is situated on the northeast edge of the Black Belt, historically the state’s agricultural hub. While named for its rich dark soil, the Black Belt is also majority African American. Most Black Belt communities are impoverished, and many households have limited access to computers and the internet. The project works with English-speaking, medically underserved African American adults who reside in the Alabama Department of Health’s West Central Health District counties.
The video can be accessed below or by clicking on the link https://vimeo.com/525719988